What soapy thing have you done today?

[Kari Howie]

So I made sugar scrubs with a Bramble Berry kit. 4 ounces of MP soap, 4 ounces avocado oil, FO, and a weighed out amount (forget how much) of sugar. microwaved then mixed it all up and poured into teeny cube molds. I followed directions exactly. So next day my daughter and I tried it out and nothing happened. No bubbles! I thought one tiny cube would melt while scrubbing my hands in warm water and act like exfoliating soap. Nope! What is this stuff supposed to do?

I made soap, which was a very good way to forget about the crazy week I had at work!

It really does help!

 

[earlene]

So I made sugar scrubs with a Bramble Berry kit. 4 ounces of MP soap, 4 ounces avocado oil, FO, and a weighed out amount (forget how much) of sugar. microwaved then mixed it all up and poured into teeny cube molds. I followed directions exactly. So next day my daughter and I tried it out and nothing happened. No bubbles! I thought one tiny cube would melt while scrubbing my hands in warm water and act like exfoliating soap. Nope! What is this stuff supposed to do?

I've never used the Bramble Berry kit, but I have made & used sugar scrubs. It is not a soap. It can be used prior to or after washing, bathing, showering to exfoliate and provide a nourishing oil treatment to the skin. Rinse off the excess sugar and allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin.

 

[Kari Howie]

I've never used the Bramble Berry kit, but I have made & used sugar scrubs. It is not a soap. It can be used prior to or after washing, bathing, showering to exfoliate and provide a nourishing oil treatment to the skin. Rinse off the excess sugar and allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin.

Oooh (Light dawns). Still not sure I like them. I’m going to try making a whipped sugar scrub from a Missy Mossy Creek tutorial. I think that will be more what I’m looking for.

 

[Mooicle]

View attachment 39992

Where did you find those cute little emojis? I have no idea how to get those on my messages.

Goals for today:

In preparation for upcoming re-model that will give me a dedicated soaping room (not the kitchen), continue the purge/re-organization/clean-up in the scattered soaping areas around my home. Not that I make soap in various areas; I don't. But in the course of beginning this journey, I've spread out the storage or my soaping & few B&B supplies in various areas. It has become unwieldy. Anyway, I need to make room for the workers (haven't even hired anyone yet, though) so all this is necessary, although not urgent.

Gather soaps to take with me to give to family (some visit later this week; some to mail; some to bring on roadtrip.)

Prep soaps for boxed storage: Plane & Bevel as needed; Wrap & Label.

In preparation for upcoming roadtrip to Texas, then trip to Hawaii, gather what needs to go with me & pack. Talk about getting totally scattered while trying to multi-task!

So what soapy things have I done today yesterday? (didn't get this posted yesterday)

Done so far today yesterday:

✓ put away wire cutter (I may or may not make more soap this week)
✓ sent a group message to family to let me know who wants more soap - special requests noted
✓ put away wire cutter (I may or may not make more soap this week)
✓ beveled one bar of son's oatmeal soap; more to do (testing readiness for beveling)
✓ gathered deodorant making supplies (to make today)
✓ brought down fragrances (for consolidation of storage method)
✓ recycled some cardboard soap molds I no longer need
✓ planed & beveled soap made using Susie's 65% lard recipe - very similar to soy wax soap in look & feel
✓ trimmed fingernails so I could handle soap without stabbing it (1 year-old will be visiting in a few days, also)
✓ washed soapy dishes & put away when dry
✓ searched for small shopping bags to put soap into for family (apparently I am almost out!)
✓ prepped 2 trays for more soap curing; put soap into cure trays & labeled trays

Soapy ToDo's for tomorrow today:

- transport curing trays to curing area upstaits
- make deodorant
- choose a container for wire cutter wire making tool kit (for easy of use)
- put wire cutter wire making materials into dedicated container & label
- continue inventory reduction (toss/recycle/pkg to bring for granddaughter)
- transfer micas to jars (added 2 more small bins for colorant bottles storage)
- look through soap molds to assess for keeping, tossing, recycling, giving away or whatever
- update soap recipes with notes/photos as needed
- continue soap lessons plan for granddaughter (materials to bring, recipes, etc.)
- re-organize fragrances to facilitate ease of use
- bring down lotion making supplies/evaluate what to take for granddaughter (she signed up for a workshop)
- re-package into smaller travel containers: items to bring for projects on trip
- receive safety glasses order (had to reorder from another supplier
- add small bags to shopping list - for gathering soap prior to gifting

You seem so organized!

 

[Kari Howie]

Where did you find those cute little emojis? I have no idea how to get those on my messages.

When you start writing, scroll up a tiny bit and you will see a bunch of icons. The face in the bottom left will take you to the “ Smileys”.

 

[earlene]

You seem so organized!

On PAPER. Yet, I can still be very scattered when it comes to trying to do too much at once. That's why I MUST have a well defined To Do list!

 

[Lin19687]

Went over scents for the rest of the year, Cleaned out FO rack and put some for sale in the sell section.
Moved papers around on my desk and contemplated soaping for Monday

 

[msunnerstood]

So I made sugar scrubs with a Bramble Berry kit. 4 ounces of MP soap, 4 ounces avocado oil, FO, and a weighed out amount (forget how much) of sugar. microwaved then mixed it all up and poured into teeny cube molds. I followed directions exactly. So next day my daughter and I tried it out and nothing happened. No bubbles! I thought one tiny cube would melt while scrubbing my hands in warm water and act like exfoliating soap. Nope! What is this stuff supposed to do?

it is supposed to but thats a lot of oil. I always did twice as much MP to Oil then added sugar

 

[Lefty]

Well, I decided to take a rest last Thursday, so I didn't get to any of the stuff on my to do list for that day. But so far today, I've done lots of non-soap making soap stuff to get caught up!

- posted lemon lavender soap to my online shop
- finalized July newsletter and scheduled for July 1 mailing
- scheduled 3 social media posts for next week
- did a pile of soap dishes, including all my cupcake liners from the week

Going to try to get to a few more things, and then take some time to enjoy the nice weather. It was thunderstorming earlier today which was great for catching up on soapy business stuff, but the sun has come out now so I'm going to enjoy it!

 

[Lin19687]

measured out oils for Monday soaping.
Doing dishes (home) so I can do a load of Soap bowls.
Just figuring out which FO's to do... always the hard part

 

[Kari Howie]

it is supposed to but thats a lot of oil. I always did twice as much MP to Oil then added sugar

I was about to never make a sugar scrub cube ever again! Thanks for the advice, Msunnerstood. I’ll give it a go again.

 

[Mooicle]

Just cut these beauties today...then mowed until it rained, prepped dinner and made more soap..now thinking about soap again

When you start writing, scroll up a tiny bit and you will see a bunch of icons. The face in the bottom left will take you to the “ Smileys”.

Well either I am just getting too old to figure out how to follow directions (or I am glossing right past those icons) or I just need to try this on my computer instead of my phone.
GOTTA find those emojis!!!

 

[Kari Howie]

Just cut these beauties today...then mowed until it rained, prepped dinner and made more soap..now thinking about soap again
View attachment 40041

Awesome! It looks like cammo!

 

[Mooicle]

Awesome! It looks like cammo!

Do you ever just sit there mindlessly staring at your creation until someone comes in and thinks you're mental? Clearly not understanding what your issue is?

 

[amd]

Finishing up the stupid ugly sweater soaps (remind me next year when this customer comes back with a dumb idea to talk her into something more reasonable... oh, wait, I said that last year too when she wanted Leg Lamp soaps...)
Photo editing
Video editing
Seriously need to make a decision on sugar scrubs...
Star San bucket for sanitizing jars
email newsletter
Package Club soaps
Start packaging brewery soaps

I might get the email newsletter done yet tonight. I also spent some time premixing mica colors with glycerine. My recipe moves fast, and now that I've changed from 25% lye concentration to 30%, mixing with dry micas is almost impossible. So I'm going to play with premixed colors again for a few batches.

This week should be fairly easy -
Washing dishes (why does this NEVER end?)
Making the sugar scrubs now that I have FO's figured out
Video editing
Packing for show this weekend.
Maybe making a couple of restock soaps

 

[Zany_in_CO]

GOTTA find those emojis!!!

This is what you should see at the top of the page in Reply. ^ Click on the Smiley Face. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the Smileys... Go nuts!

 

[earlene]

My soap things today:

✓ planed & beveled eldest son's oatmeal soap; put into curing tray
✓ moved 3 curing trays to curing area upstairs & checked on the other curing trays
✓ chose basket for wire cutter wire making tool kit (awaiting a couple more tools to add to kit)
✓ sorted through 20 or more soaping containers; consolidated containers; tossed many things I don't want/need
✓ put sealed supplies into 2 drawers rather than boxes; boxes re-purposes for mailing soap
✓ received delivery of safety glasses order (darn-it, I ordered tinted safety glasses!)
✓ placed order for clear UN-tinted safety glasses (not the brand I wanted, but these will work over glasses, too)
✓ bring down lotion making supplies to evaluate what to take for granddaughter (she signed up for a workshop)
✓ re-organized/consolidated Fragrance bins to facilitate ease of use
✓ washed several small glass FO bottles & tops (will re-fill with FOs to use while traveling)
✓ started gathering soaps for family; my FB family group offer has produced 7 requests for more soap, so I am happy
✓ added small bags to shopping list - for gathering soap prior to giftings
✓ chose & packed FO's to bring for soaping with granddaughter
✓ discovered I really am out of Lavender EO (I kept hoping I'd find another bottle - I found 4 empty bottles!)
✓ consolidated bins of FOs & EOs brought back upstairs
✓ emptied 2 drawers in future soap room for soap supplies - FOs in bottom drawer
✓ made room for taller FO bottles & containers in another cabinet
✓ a few items of granddaughter's childhood chosen for donation, may give some to 1 year-old visiting on Wed.
✓ 12 boxes emptied going to recycle bin
✓ 7 small boxes reserved for mailing soap to family (7 takers = perfect!)
✓ moved a few items from floor to shelves clearing floor space upstairs
✓ worked on lesson plan for Soaping 101 & Lye Safety with granddaughter

Upstairs:

- check for more empty boxes (I know I have more I was saving for who-knows-what)
- look through soap molds to assess for keeping, tossing, recycling, giving away or whatever

Soap travel:

✓ chose & packed FO's to bring for soaping with granddaughter
✓ choose colorants to bring for soaping with granddaughter
✓ continue soap lessons plan for granddaughter (materials to bring, recipes, etc.) - lesson plan written
- re-package into smaller travel containers: additional items to bring for projects on trip
- evaluate lotion supplies for what to take for granddaughter (she signed up for a workshop)
✓ began a list of lotion supplies to bring for granddaughter - not completed

General:

✓ add re-order Lavender to my August To Do List
✓ make deodorant
✓ continue inventory reduction (toss/recycle/pkg to bring for granddaughter)
- update soap recipes with notes/photos as needed
- transfer micas to jars (added 2 more small bins for colorant bottles storage)
✓ partially cleared dining room table, only a few in-transit soap supplies are now parked

✓ watched a really long soap making video while taking breaks to cool off between the above-listed work

It's after 11 pm now & I am watching The Good Wife, so I may not get back to my list tonight. But I may have to, if only to clear a space at the D.R. table and the kitchen counter.

Edit: No, I stayed up late making deodorant, writing a lesson plan & clearing off the D.R. table until I could barely stay awake anymore.

 

[MGM]

Gave away 20-odd bars of soap and a few lip balms at an extended family gathering. My mom gave away jam. We should maybe set up a booth...

 

[TAS]

I've been infusing oils this week. No actual soap making, just gearing up.

 

[Dawni]

Been baby sitting my curing soaps coz the weather is freaky here and neither the fan nor the AC is helping.. My soaps are sweating like hormonal teenage boys, except for a few.. I need to determine what's in they batches that aren't sweating excessively (but I'm guessing those have less salt) and my turmeric brine soaps are sitting in shallow puddles of orange sweat even after I've wiped them down n moved em, and changed the paper they're sitting on.

I noticed though, that the sweating is taking care of the ash for me lol

And I have soap in the mold!
Finally...
Definitely not what I was visualizing though, but that's natural colorants for you lol. This is what the color change in the pot looked like.

More pics n info after the cut.